Resilience, adaptability and innovative delivery channels characterised the home entertainment industry in 2012, tells Digital Entertainment Group figures. Total consumer spending on home entertainment topped $18 billion for the year. The industry's highest margin businesses, Blu-ray Disc, electronic sell-through (EST), and video on demand (VOD), continued to grow during every quarter of the year. Furthermore, UltraViolet has achieved significant milestones in industry and consumer.

In just over a year since its launch, more than 9 million UltraViolet accounts have been created, more than double the number as of June 2012. The momentum is likely to be sustained with the new industry-wide 'Get Connected UltraViolet Movie Starter Pack' initiative unveiled at CES.

Coming later this year, with the support of major retailers, consumers who purchase an eligible connected TV or connected Blu-ray Disc player will receive free UltraViolet-enabled titles from participating studios. Consumers who purchase eligible connected Blu-ray Disc players will receive redemption codes for five UV-enabled titles, while those who purchase eligible connected TVs will receive redemption codes for 10 UV-enabled titles.

There are already 8,500+ UltraViolet-enabled titles available from nine major content providers: Anchor Bay Entertainment, BBC, DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

The industry's UV backing is seen in its Retailer of the Year Award given to Walmart for its support of Blu-ray hardware and software, and UltraViolet through its Disc-to-Digital programme.

Amongst other highlights for 2012, Blu-ray Disc spending rose nearly 10% for the year, with spending on Blu-ray catalogue titles jumping 25%. The number of Blu-ray homes continues to steadily grow, climbing 7% for the year (including BD set-tops, PS3s and HTiBs.) Total household penetration of all Blu-ray-compatible devices now stands at close to 51 million US homes.

Consumers also increasingly purchased their entertainment via EST. Spending on EST climbed 35% compared to 2011. Total digital distribution spending, EST and VOD combined, grew 28% for the same period. Total digital now accounts for nearly 30% of the domestic home video market, up from 19% compared to 2011.

Some 39 million HDTVs have been purchased last year. HDTVs are now in 108.4 million US households according to numbers compiled by the DEG with input from retail tracking sources.

Story filed 14.01.13